Bespoke

"Celebrating the extraordinary life of Wakka Wakka woman Aunty Maureen Williams, we follow her life from a young child growing up in the bush speaking fluent Wakka Wakka, to walking between two worlds. These were her Culture and working as a domestic servant from the age of 10, so that generations after her would be free from the poverty she faced as an Aboriginal woman.

Opening with the spirit of our sacred place, Ban Ban Springs, witnessing the unbroken practice of passing on Cultural knowledge from generation to generation. From the hard yakka and adversity, she faced, we see the resilience she gained from Country, her Culture and her commitment to open the doors for the generations after her.

Aunty Maureen believed that having a good education together with a strong work ethic would build a solid foundation to achieve great things in life. Today, as a result of her remarkable vision, strength and steadfast determination, we see her incredible generational legacy with five of her seven children having university degrees (some multiple), the majority of her grandchildren and now even great grandchildren, having all completed university.

I’d like to acknowledge Uncle Professor Kevin Williams, Aunty Sue-Ann Williams, Aunty Patsy Lieschke and Chris Williams for their Cultural guidance and entrusting myself, Tara and the Queensland Ballet to perform this story. Immense gratitude to Aunty Maureen Williams and all our Blak matriarchs for rising against incredible adversity to break open the gates so that we all may thrive."
– Choreographer Katina Olsen

*gundirgan is the Wakka Wakka language name for female clever person.

"This performance explores and applies the behaviours of birds-of-paradise to human experiences. The courtship rituals of these magnificent birds, such as the elaborate dances, intricate nest building, and vivid displays - are more than just a natural spectacle; they reflect our own search for connection and love.

In the same way that birds-of-paradise dress up in their finest feathers and perform captivating dances to attract mates, humans engage in similar rituals. Whether it’s dressing up to impress, competing for attention, building lasting partnerships, or navigating the world of online dating, these birds remind us that the quest for companionship is a universal dance.

This ballet celebrates our search for attraction, connection, and the universal quest for love and belonging. While inspired by the captivating behaviors of birds-of-paradise, it is ultimately a celebration of beauty and complexity of our shared humanness." – Choreographer Milena Sidorova

"Two halves of a whole. Forever and never again."
– Choreographer Jack Lister

"My intent for the first ten minutes of the work was to create a very slow brooding atmosphere, using traditional western classical instrument performed with unconventional techniques. As this section progresses, the instruments are pushed and squeaked to create a sense of tension and ugliness within what might be conceived as a beautiful state. This is an attempt to indicate the Papillon’s struggle through its first two phases of life, the egg and the larva. Whilst it will inevitably transform through metamorphosis into a winged beauty, the path there is slow and relatively ugly.

A two-minute interlude follows. Jack hits the audience with a quick play in symmetry, creating a mirrored kaleidoscopic effect within the choreography. The accompanying sounds were developed from imagining a butterfly larva pushing, scratching, squirming and pulling within the pupa, achieved through utilising the instruments from the first section and exploring what might happen when pushed to their limits.

Human voices are also introduced here for the first time. Assisting the dancers to feel attached to the music whilst they are moving is my ultimate goal, and what better way than to have their recorded voices within the score!

We then proceed to the final ten minutes of the work, which is Papillon in its final metamorphosed form. This section is rhythmic, textural, colourful and energetic, just a sample of the nuance required to represent a Papillon exiting the cocoon for its first time, absorbing the world as if emerging from plato’s cave. The music here is designed to push and pull the dancers through the space, as if they’re flying as one giant symmetrical, kaleidoscopic being.

None of what I just said is true. We attach meaning to work however we desire when we experience something for the first time. How will you find meaning in this score?"
– Composer Louis Frere-Harvey